Season 5: Pre-season refresher

With the Season 5 premiere rapidly approaching, let's take a look back at Season 4 to see how we got here. For those of you who may not be familiar with all of season 1-4, I urge you to avoid spoilers and watch them before proceeding. Otherwise, read at your own risk!

Contents

We start season four off with Sookie still in Faery - the utopian fairy world. As she meets her Grandad, she quickly figures out that something isn't right about the dreamy place when she sees he hasn't aged and thinks no time has passed. After returning home, she is shocked when her brother tells her she's been gone for over a year. Both Bill and Eric are still pining for her affection, and both have upped the ante - Bill now installed as Eric's king, and Eric now owning Sookie's house.

Meanwhile, a Witch coven has formed in Bon Temps, and the group casts a spell on Eric - erasing his memory. Sookie takes him in at Pam's urging and hides him from Bill when he comes looking. Bill eventually finds Eric anyway, and arrests him (but not before Sookie has to save him from the spellbound Viking). Bill lets Eric go, and when he makes his way back to Sookie, they make love for the first time. She convinces him to help Bill take out the coven, and a battle ensues between the vampires and witches during which Sookie is shot and nearly killed. Alcide scoops her up and runs her out of danger, but it is Bill's blood that keeps her alive, and later causes her to dream of being intimate with Bill and Eric at the same time.

Sookie ends up using her powers in front of human witnesses in order to save Bill from a spellbound Eric, and at the same time disrupts the spell cast on him by the witches. Sookie uses her powers one last time to disrupt the now Marnie-possessed Lafayette - who is getting ready to stake Bill and Eric - and then helps Holly and Tara cast a spell allowing the spirits of Adele Stackhouse and Antonia to aid in defeating Marnie for good. She then allows both of her loves to feed from her, but breaks things off with both after having just confessed her love for them. Upon returning home with a heavy heart, she is confronted by a disgruntled and armed Debbie who blames Sookie for all her problems with Alcide. Debbie fires a shotgun blast at Sookie, but Tara intervenes - receiving a very serious wound to the head for her troubles. Sookie kills Debbie with her own shotgun, and the season ends with her cradling Tara in her arms on the floor.

Their blood bond still strong, Bill senses Sookie's return immediately, due in no small part to her distress over the death of her Grandfather. As soon as the sun retreats, he shows up out of nowhere at almost the same time as Eric. It is clear he still loves her, and has been agonizing over her absence, but from Sookie's perspective, it has only been a matter of minutes. Bill gives her an alibi for her disappearance, and when she comes to ask his help in getting her house back from Eric, it is revealed that he is now King of Louisiana. A flashback shows Nan Flanagan recruiting Bill in the 1980s, which leads into a visit to Fangtasia to determine the whereabouts of Eric - now missing after being sent by Bill to check out a new witch coven in Bon Temps. After questioning Pam about Eric's whereabouts, the search takes him to Sookie's home (now owned by Eric). Sookie covers for Eric, taking advantage of their past and lying to Bill, who believes her.

Pam comes to Bill with a decaying face, the victim a spell attack from a new and powerful witch coven in Bon Temps. Bill has its leader (Marnie) captured, and glamors her for information - only to learn that she does not know how to undo the spell. I the midst of dealing with the situation and talking to the other vampire sheriffs, Pam lets it slip that Eric has been attacked as well and is being harbored by Sookie. Furious, Bill speeds off and arrives at Sookie's house in time to interrupt an intimate moment between her and Eric. Not having any memory of Bill, Eric attacks the far less powerful King, nearly staking him before Sookie tells him that Bill is his king. Bill arrests Eric as a "threat" and nearly executes him, but changes his mind after hearing of Eric's love for Sookie.

After being attacked by an Antonia-posessed Luis, Bill determines Antonia's plan and issues an area-wide order for all vampires to "silver" themselves lest they meet the sun. The vampires and witches then clash in the graveyard during which Sookie is fatally wounded. Bill saves her with his blood, but the first thing she does is ask about Eric. Nan's "Festival of Tolerance" turns into a bloodbath thanks to Antonia's spell, and Eric is once again trying to kill Bill. Sookie intervenes a third time, using her fairy powers this time and unwittingly breaks the spell cast on Eric at the same time.

An all-out assault commences on the coven's lair - Moon Goddess Emporium - but Jason informs the vampires that Sookie is still inside. The vampires eventually gain the upper hand and Bill shoots Marnie to death. Everything seems well again momentarily, but it is quickly discovered that Marnie's spirit has transitioned to Lafayette, and that she/he has imprisoned Bill and Eric with the intent to burn them at the stake. Sookie uses her powers to save them both yet again, and then joins with Holly and Tara to cast a spell the ends up saving all the vampires from Marnie for good.

Later, back at Bill's place, Nan Flannagan confronts Eric and Bill claiming she's turned against the AVL and The Authority and asking them to join her in mutiny. The King and Sheriff respond with action, giving Nan and her guards the true death.

Eric wakes as he senses Sookie's return from Faery, and as soon as night falls he blurs his way to "her" house - which he now owns. He is visibly enamored with her, and makes a special point to inform her that everyone else including Bill gave up hope and wrote her off, but he never did. He is ordered away by Bill, who has managed to get himself appointed king of Louisiana, and upon returning to Fangtasia takes over for Pam in making an AVL commercial for Nan Flanagan.

Later, we see Sookie as she has just finished a shower, and Eric has "snuck" into her room to catch her naked. After shamelessly admiring her nude form, he pulls out a set of keys and tells her that rescinding her invitation does not work if he buys her house. He then explains that he intends to own her, and that she needs his protection.

Eric visits "King Bill" who tells him there is a new witch coven in town, and orders him to check it out. As he interrupts a coven gathering and tries to feed on their leader, Marnie, the rest of the coven begins to chant. This distracts Eric long enough to free Marnie so she can cast a spell on him which erases his memory, leaving him wandering about lost and confused. Sookie, driving by, spots him and calls out his name, but he does not recognize her (or his name). After fending him off, Sookie gets enough information from Eric to know he needs help. A panicked Pam arrives, and after being swatted like a fly by Eric, she convinces Sookie to keep him there until they can figure out how to get him back to normal.

In his spellbound state, hungry after resisting the drive to feed from Sookie, Eric accidentally "eats" her Fairy Godmother, Claudine. Drunk off her pure fairy blood, Eric wanders off which prompts Sookie to contact Alcide for help tracking him down. After the effects wear off and they are back at the house, Eric sees his maker in a dream and is urged to take Sookie's blood by force. She has pity on him and lets him into her bed. The next night Eric emerges from his cubby as Tara is over visiting with Sookie. Tara flips out and starts recounting all the horrible things Eric has done to Sookie which saddens him in his state of innocence. Eric begins to leave, but Sookie calls him back and they kiss passionately.

Pam lets Eric's condition and location slip, and Bill speeds off angrily just in time to interrupt an intimate moment between the Viking and his former lover. He arrests Eric and petitions the council for the true death, but changes his mind after he realizes how much Eric loves Sookie. Set free, Eric rushes back to Sookie and they make love in the moonlight.

Later, bound by silver after a heads-up from Bill about Marnie/Antonia's plan, Eric confesses to Sookie that he does not want his memory back and he's happier not know what he's done if it means being with her. When the danger has passed, Sookie offers her blood to the injured vampire, and then agrees to drink his blood so they "will be one." Sookie convinces Eric to help Bill with the witches, but as they all meet in the graveyard, Eric is caught in a slave spell. He is forced to lure Blackburn, Kirsch, and Duprez into a trap - which allows them to fall under the slave spell as well.

The enslaved Sheriffs attack the AVL festival Bill is speaking at, and Sookie is forced to use her fairy powers to save Bill from being staked by Eric. This breaks not only the slave spell on Eric, but the original spell as well, and Eric now has all his memories back - along with all the ones from being with Sookie. Back at Bill's mansion, she and Eric talk about the situation and she tells him she still has feelings for Bill.

At the attack on the witch coven, after Marnie captures Sookie she offers her life in exchange for the lives of Bill and Eric. Pam, determined not to let her maker die, ignores Eric's order and launches a rocket toward the coven's lair - which explodes upon impact with the protective shield Marnie has set in place. A furious Eric orders her away lest he kill her.

Marnie's spirit possesses Lafayette and returns the next night - silvering Bill and Eric to a post to be burned. Sookie knocks Lafayette out of the way, and begins chanting a spell with Holly and Tara to summon the souls of the dead which leads to the end of Marnie as a threat. Sookie allows both Bill and Eric to feed from her in order to heal, but then tells them she doesn't want to be with either of them.

At the end of the season, Nan appears to bill and Eric with bodyguards asking them to join her in a rebellions against the Authority and the AVL. Nan makes the mistake of threatening Sookie's life, and she and her bodyguards are quickly slain by the dynamic duo.

Sam is frustrated with Sookie for not telling anyone where she went, and he tells her that a lot had changed in her absence. He says he is attending an anger management group, but in reality he has met a group of other shapeshifters where he can talk about his feelings with those who can relate. The group consists of Emory , Suzanne, and Luna who Sam shares a mutual attracted with Sam but doesn't wish to speak about her past. He tries getting to her to open up to him after the group goes out for a shift-run but she is secretive and quickly shifts and runs away.

Later, while enjoying shifting time with Luna, Sam senses another shifter nearby. He realizes it is Tommy, and chases after him, confronting him about his leg, and how he has clearly been faking it. Tommy approaches Sam about how they could make money off of Maxine Fortenberry's land. Sam is disgusted and tells him to get lost. He asserts that Tommy either tell Maxine about the natural gas she has on her property, or he will.

Sam drops by Luna's home without warning and is surprised to meet Emma, Luna's young daughter. He stays and enjoys the day and evening with them, during which Luna explains that her ex is a werewolf who is very jealous and could possibly be stalking her.

Tommy visits Joe Lee and kills him, accidentally killing his mother as well - Sam helps a distraught Tommy dispose of their bodies. While they bond somewhat over this situation, Tommy still sleeps with with Luna (and fires Sookie) while shifted into Sam's form. Sam and Luna figure this out, and Sam kicks Tommy out.

The local werewolf pack leader, Marcus, is revealed to be Luna's ex, who then threatens Sam, and later shows up at Merlotte's telling Tommy he wants to meet with Sam face-to-face. Tommy skinwalks as Sam and meets Marcus. Tommy (as Sam) receives a furious beating by some of Marcus' wolves until Alcide intervenes and leaves with an unconscious Tommy - now in his regular form. Back at Merlotte's, Sam and Alcide offer Tommy some V to help him recover but he refuses, instead choosing to die in peace. Luna and Sam hold a funeral for Tommy, but Maxine is the only other attendee.

Now living together, Jesus has been trying to persuade Lafayette to join a new witch coven that has formed in town lead by Marnie. Lafayette is still wary of witchcraft and the supernatural, but goes to the gathering after some prodding. Marnie channels Eddie, a dead customer of Lafayette, and he suspects Jesus of telling her since that's the only person he told, and he doesn't believe it is really Eddie.

At Merlotte's, Lafayette tells Sookie all he knows about Tara - which isn't much - and has another talk with Jesus about joining the "crazy witch cult." Andy interrupts, having V withdrawals, and starts to become violent trying to get some from Lafayette until Jason enters and puts a stop to it.

Lafayette succumbs to Jesus' wishes and returns to the coven for another gathering. This time Marnie tricks the group into casting a resurrection spell on her dead bird - which work, briefly. Eric enters, suddenly, and attacks Marnie. The group begins to chant, and when Lafayette joins in they successfully ward the vampire off by erasing his memory. Lafayette, knowing how serious the consequences of crossing vampires - especially Eric - can be, pays a visit to Fangtasia to attempt some damage control. Tara and Jesus find him in the basement there being attacked by a furious Pam who gives them 48 hours to deliver Marnie to her or die.

Jesus, Lafayette and Tara return to Marnie and beg her to reverse the spell cast on Eric in order to save them all from Pam. Marnie insists she can't, but the spell presents itself as a book flies off a shelf. As Marnie begins to reverse Eric's curse, she is possessed by the spirit of Antonia and instead attacks Pam with a decay spell. Fearing the worst, Lafayette and Jesus flee to Mexico to seek help from Jesus' grandfather, a type of witch known as a brujo. Lafayette is forced into a situation where he is possessed by the spirit of Jesus' uncle Luca, a healer - which convinces Lafayette that he has a gift.

Back in Bon Temps, the spirit of Mavis - a woman whose own child, in life, had been taken from her - possesses Lafayette and kidnaps Arlene's infant son, Mikey. Jesus arrives at Hoyt's place (Mavis' house when she was alive) and convinces Mavis that she and her baby are both dead after they find the bodies buried in the yard. Mavis then leaves Lafayette's body and "moves on."

Later, at the Moon Goddess Emporium, Marnie transports Lafayette, Holly, Tara, and Sookie inside, trapping them inside. Jesus and Lafayette channel the energy from the body of one of Marnie's victims which gives Jesus the power to break the bond between Marnie and Antonia. After Bill and Eric kill Marnie, her spirit possesses Lafayette and she kills Jesus in order to take control of his powers. Still controlled by Marnie, Lafayette captures Bill and Eric, silvering them to a post to be burned at the stake - as Antonia was. Sookie, Tara and Holly find Bill and Eric, Sookie uses her fairy powers on Marnie/Lafayette, and then the three women chant a spell which summons the spirits of Adele Stackhouse and Antonia, who convinces Marnie to release Lafayette.

Sookie visits Pam at Fangtasia to ask for her help in convincing Eric to give her house back. Pam suggests Sookie accept Eric's offer and be his in order to gain his protection. Sookie tells Pam she will never be Eric's puppet.

Pam receives a phonecall from Sookie after Eric is found with amnesia. She rushes to Sookie's house, and finds that Eric has no idea who she is and knocks her back when she rushes Sookie. Pam asks Sookie to harbor Eric there until they can figure out what has happened, and agrees to pay her for her trouble.

A terrified Lafayette reaches out to Pam back at Fangtasia, and she attacks him for having a part in what's happened to Eric. Jesus and Tara (armed with a gun loaded with wooden bullets) show up in time to save him, and Pam issues a 24 hour ultimatum - Marnie, or their lives. Bill shows up and questions Pam on the whereabouts of Eric, but she keeps quiet.

Pam shows up at the witch coven and demands that Marnie hurry up with the spell to "fix" Eric, and Antonia possesses Marnie in the process. Antonia switches spells and curses Pam with a decay spell. Pam speeds off to Bill asking for his help, and they end up capturing Marnie who doesn't know how to undo the spells since it was actually Antonia. Pam lets slip that she knows what's happened to Bill, and that he is at Sookie's house.

Imprisoned together, Pam tries to remind Eric of who he was before the spell, but he claims he is not that vampire anymore. After being released, Pam confronts Tara and Naomi at Merlotte's looking for revenge. A group of locals begins filming them, and Pam knows she cannot do anything on camera and is forced to let them go.

Back at Fangtasia, Pam has called Dr. Ludwig and the diagnosis is grim. There is no cure, only a painful cosmetic fix that Pam will have to endure multiple times daily for as long as she wants to retain her looks. Shortly after her treatment, Pam finds out about Antonia's plan and has herself silvered under a sheet of silver chain mail.

At the Moon Goddess, Pam, Eric, Bill and Jessica are preparing to exterminate the coven when Jason tells them that Sookie is inside. Marnie emerges and offers Sookie's life in exchange for Eric and Bill's who, both love-stuck, agree to the terms. Pam refuses to let Eric kill himself for Sookie, and disobeys a direct order from her maker - firing a bazooka at the building which explodes on impact with Marnie's shield. A furious Eric orders Pam away before he kills her. Pam, crushed and heartbroken, blurs away as ordered.

Tara is revealed to be living with her girlfriend, Naomi, in New Orleans under the assumed name "Tori." Both women are MMA fighters and appear to be very much in love. Tara receives a text from Lafayette informing her that Sookie is back in Bon Temps, but Tara chooses to lie to Naomi in order to keep her from the dangers of Bon Temps.

Tara reunites with Sookie at the Stackhouse home, and then heads over to Lafayette's place just as he and Jesus are leaving for a Wiccan gathering. Tara's cousin convinces her to come with them, and at the gathering Eric barges in and attacks the coven leader, Marnie. The coven casts a spell on Eric, erasing his memory and causing him to leave.

Tara, upset that she was attacked by a vampire only a couple days after being back urges Lafayette not to go to Fangtasia, but to no avail. She and Jesus arrive just in time to save him from Pam, who gives them 24 hours to bring her Marnie or she will kill them all. the three return to Marnie and beg her to reverse the spell cast on Eric to avoid being slaughtered by Pam. Pam shows up as Marnie is attempting to undo the spell, and Marnie is then possessed by the much more powerful Antonia. Now switching to Spanish, Marnie/Antonia instead casts a decay spell on Pam.

As Lafayette and Jesus leave for Mexico, Tara tells them she is going back to New Orleans and calls Naomi. She learns that Naomi has found out about "Tara Thornton" which prompts her to come to Bon Temps to find out what's going on with Tara. After smoothing things out, Tara brings Naomi to Marelotte's, but the couple is confronted in the parking lot by a rotting Pam. Some bystanders start filming the trio, and Pam speeds off for fear of being caught on camera.

An Antonia-possessed Marnie talks Tara into joining the coven, and recruiting more members. The larger group casts a spell to bring all vampires into the sun, but Bill has warned nearly all of them and only one vampire dies. Bill asks Marnie to meet him at the graveyard at midnight, but this turns into an all-out battle. In the midst of the fight, Pam corners Tara and is about to kill her when Bill orders her to leave Tara alone forever.

Back at the Moon Goddess, Marnie is now holding Tara and everyone else prisoner, but the group is freed when Bill kills Marnie. Down, but not out, Marnie ends up possessing Lafayette, and killing Jesus for his powers. Tara and Sookie discover Bill and Eric bound in silver and close to being burned at the stake by Marnie. Sookie uses her powers on Marnie, and along with Holly the three women begin to chant a spell which calls out the spirits of Antonia and Sookie's Grandmother who aid them in defeating Marnie.

Later, Tara returns to Sookie's house to find her at gunpoint being held by Debbie Pelt. Tara charges in, pushing Sookie out of the way and taking the full brunt of Debbie's shotgun blast in the head. Sookie kills Debbie, and cradles Tara as the season ends.

At Alcide's home in Shreveport, Sookie arrives to find him reunited with his ex, Debbie Pelt. She has come to ask for his help with Eric, but changes her mind after discovering the couple has reunited. Alcide does end up helping her track him down however, when the situation escalates and Eric runs off drunk on fairy blood.

Marcus, the local packmaster visits, angered by the fact that Alcide and Debbie haven't registered with the pack. Alcide makes a very firm stand in telling him they are intentionally packless, only to have Debbie register behind his back. After a talk, Alcide and Debbie Join Marcus' pack. The couple sets out to find Sookie since Alcide is worried about her, and they finder her having sex with Eric in the woods. Alcide is noticeably upset by this, and Debbie realizes that he still has deep feelings for Sookie.

Alcide rescues a dying Sookie from the fracas at the graveyard, and takes her back to her house - where Bill gives her his blood to heal her gunshot wound. Debbie sees the whole thing from a distance in wolf form. Later, in order to please Debbie, Alcide tells Marcus he wants to move up in the pack. Not long after this, Alcide saves Tommy Mickens from a beating ordered by was ordered by Marcus, who seems to be getting closer to Debbie.

After Tommy dies, Sam and Alcide track down Marcus at Alcide's home, where Marcus is seducing Debbie. In the fighting that follows, Alcide kills Marcus and ends his relationship with Debbie. He then asks Sookie to be with him so they can have a normal life together.

The season ends with Alcide discovering that Russell Edgington's cement grave in a parking garage is empty.

Since Sookie's disappearance, she finds out Jason has become a legitimate deputy sheriff and has also sold her house (unknowingly to Eric Northman). She gives Jason their grandfather's pocket watch, and Jason heads off to take care of the kids in Hot Shot per his promise to Crystal. The young werepanthers knock him out and lock him in a chest freezer, and when he wakes he finds himself tied to a bed as Crystal tells him he is going to father her cubs. Crystal and Felton shift to panthers an begin biting him repeatedly to change him in to a werepanther.

Later, Crystal tricks a sickly feverish Jason into taking some "Mexican Viagra" and then rapes him in front of a line of female werepanthers all waiting their turn to do the same. He manages to persuade one of the younger girls to free him and he escapes with Felton hot on his tail. Jason manages to kill the panther, and then threatens Crystal to stay away - wishing he'd never met her.

Already worried about the coming full moon, Jason's problems increase when he has a sex dream about Jessica that night in which Hoyt appears. Jason decides to handcuff himself to the bed to avoid hurting anyone if he shifts, but Sookie tells him if he shifts he will be able to slip out of the cuffs. He runs out into the woods to be away from everyone if he changes, and Jessica rushes to him after sensing his distress.

Jason continues to suffer from sexual fantasies involving Jessica, the effects of drinking her blood, and tries working out. Hoyt stops by and makes matters worse by telling Jason he would die without Jessica. Jason then finds out about Antonia's plan and rushes to Bill's mansion to save Jessica from the sun. He succeeds, and the two share a moment. Jessica finally ends things with Hoyt, and comes to Jason's house. He is tempted, but is upset about hurting Hoyt and rescinds Jessica's invitation.

Later, Jason brings Jessica her things that Hoyt has packed up, and the meeting leads to them having sex in the bed of Jason's truck. He begs her to glamor him so he won't remember they had sex in order to avoid hurting Hoyt and bearing that guilt, but she refuses.

At the Moon Goddess Emporium, as the vampires are about to attack and destroy the coven, Jason tells them that Sookie is inside. When Pam fires a rocket at the building, it explodes on Marnie's protective shield and severely injures Jason. Jessica gives him more of her blood in order to heal him.

Back at Jason's place, the season ends as newly turned Steve Newlin shows up at Jason's door with his fangs out.

After living together for over a year, there is obvious tension between Jessica and Hoyt as they are seen fighting over trivial things. Hoyt decides to taker her on a date night to Fangtasia, but this only makes her crave going there alone the next time they fight. Once there, she immediately takes a young man she saw there with Hoyt into the bathroom and feeds off him. Feeling guilty for this, she seeks advice from her maker, (king) Bill, and then returns home and tells Hoyt the truth. The argument that ensues prompts Jessica to glamor him into forgetting the whole thing.

Later, Hoyt and Jessica come across Jason after his narrow escape from rape and imprisonment. Jessica gives him her blood to heal him, and they return him to his home. Hoyt tries to kiss her for saving his friend, but she pulls away - though swearing nothing's wrong. Later, Jason has an erotic dream about Jessica after drinking her blood, but Hoyt appears and ruins it.

Bill calls Jessica and warns her about Antonia's plan. She joins him and he silvers her before being silvered herself. Bill, not wanting to cause Jessica pain, inadvertently fails to use enough silver and she is able to break free. She kills the guard and makes her way to the front doors, flinging them open and exposing herself to the sun. Just then, Jason tackles her back in the shelter of the house and is immediately attacked by the spellbound vampire. Luckily, Antonia's spell wears off and Jessica kisses him rather than killing him.

Jessica returns home to break things off with Hoyt, but he beats her to it, throwing her out. She goes straight to Jason's place, but he takes back her invitation because he doesn't want to hurt Hoyt. Out of options, she returns to her maker's house and ends up crying to Pam about her problems.

Jason visits Jessica at Bill's mansion in order to give her things back from Hoyt, but that's all it takes for the two to break down & have sex in the bed of Jason's truck. Jason pleads with her to glamor the memory out of him to avoid the guilt but she refuses.

Jason joins Sookie at the Moon Goddess Emporium, but it left standing there along when Marnie transports the others inside. As Bill, Eric, and the other vampires arrive to destroy the place, it is Jason who warns them that Sookie is inside. After a deal gone bad, Jason is severely injured when Pam fires a bazooka at the protective shield of magic that is up around the building. Jessica rushes to him and gives him some of her blood to heal him.

Jason does the right thing and confesses to Hoyt, but then sleeps with Jessica again. She tells him that she doesn't want a relationship.